São Paulo
São Paulo Futebol Clube is a professional football club founded in 1930 and based in the Morumbi district of São Paulo, Brazil. The club plays in the Campeonato Paulista and Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, competing at the MorumBIS Stadium, which has a capacity of 67,052 seats. São Paulo is one of the most successful clubs in Brazilian football with 44 official titles, including 6 Campeonato Brasileiro titles, 3 Copa Libertadores titles, 2 Intercontinental Cups, and 1 FIFA Club World Cup. The club is part of the Big Twelve of Brazilian football and is one of only two clubs never relegated from Brazil's top division.
History
Overview
General information about the club
São Paulo Futebol Clube was founded on January 25, 1930, through a merger between Club Athletico Paulistano and Associação Atlética das Palmeiras. The club has maintained its traditional white shirt with red and black horizontal stripes since inception, representing the colors of the founding clubs and the state of São Paulo. With over 22 million supporters nationwide, São Paulo is the third best-supported club in Brazil, with fans known as são-paulinos or nicknamed "Torcida que conduz" (Supporters who lead).
Most recent season and achievements
In 2024, São Paulo achieved a historic milestone by winning the Supercopa do Brasil, defeating Palmeiras on penalties at the Mineirão in Belo Horizonte under manager Thiago Carpini. This victory made São Paulo the first Brazilian club to win all available trophies, earning them the nickname "Champions of All." The club had previously won its first Copa do Brasil title in 2023 under Dorival Júnior, defeating Flamengo in the finals.
History
Early years
São Paulo was founded by 60 former officials, players, members, and friends of the merging clubs. Club Athletico Paulistano, founded in 1900 and 11-time São Paulo state champions, had abandoned football due to professionalization, while Associação Atlética das Palmeiras, founded in 1902 and three-time state champions, failed to establish a professional team. The new club inherited star players Arthur Friedenreich and Araken Patusca from Paulistano, along with the Estádio da Floresta from Palmeiras. Financial problems led to a merger with Clube de Regatas Tietê, causing the football department to disband on May 14, 1935. The club was refounded as Grêmio Tricolor, then Clube Atlético São Paulo on June 4, 1935, and finally São Paulo Futebol Clube on December 16, 1935.
Successful period
The 1940s marked São Paulo's first golden era, known as "The Steam Roller" period. After acquiring Leônidas from Flamengo in 1942 for 200 contos de réis, along with Argentine António Sastre and Brazilians Noronha, José Carlos Bauer, and others, the club won five Paulista championships (1943, 1945, 1946, 1948, 1949). The 1990s brought the legendary "Telê Era" under coach Telê Santana, featuring consecutive Copa Libertadores victories in 1992 and 1993, along with Intercontinental Cup triumphs in 1992 and 1993. The team completed an unprecedented CONMEBOL treble in 1993 and achieved a quadruple that year.
Crisis and recovery
São Paulo endured significant dry spells, including a 13-year period without titles from 1958-1970 and an 8-year drought from 2012-2020. The 1950s saw reduced success despite acquiring Zizinho and Hungarian manager Béla Guttmann in 1957. The 2010s were particularly challenging, with the club not winning a single Campeonato Paulista title for the first time since the 1960s and fighting relegation battles in 2013 and 2017. The club struggled with managerial instability, having fourteen managers between 1995 and 2004.
Current period
The current era began with renewed success in 2021 when São Paulo ended its 8-year title drought by winning the Campeonato Paulista under Hernán Crespo. Under Rogério Ceni and later Dorival Júnior, the club reached multiple finals, including the 2022 Copa Sudamericana final and achieved the historic 2023 Copa do Brasil victory. The appointment of Thiago Carpini in 2024 led to the Supercopa do Brasil triumph, completing the club's collection of all available trophies.
Achievements and Honors
Domestic competitions
São Paulo has won 6 Campeonato Brasileiro titles (1977, 1986, 1991, 2006, 2007, 2008), making them one of the most successful clubs in Brazilian football. The club has claimed 23 Campeonato Paulista titles and 1 Copa do Brasil (2023). Additional domestic honors include 1 Supercopa do Brasil (2024) and 1 inter-state Rio-São Paulo Tournament title (2001). Muricy Ramalho achieved the remarkable feat of winning three consecutive Brazilian championships (2006-2008), becoming the first manager to accomplish this with the same team.
Continental and global competitions
São Paulo's international success includes 3 Copa Libertadores titles (1992, 1993, 2005), 2 Intercontinental Cups (1992, 1993), and 1 FIFA Club World Cup (2005). The club has also won 1 Copa Sudamericana (2012), 1 Supercopa Libertadores (1993), 1 Copa CONMEBOL (1994), 1 Copa Masters CONMEBOL, and 2 Recopa Sudamericanas. This makes São Paulo the Brazilian club with the most international titles and establishes them as South America's biggest worldwide champion alongside Boca Juniors, Peñarol, and Nacional.
Symbols and Colors
Current logo and logo history
The club's badge represents a heart with five points, featuring a shield with a black rectangle in the upper section bearing the initials SPFC in white, below which lies a red, white and black triangle. Designed by German graphic designer Walter Ostrich and founder Firmiano de Morais Pinto Filho, the badge includes five stars: two gold stars denoting Adhemar Ferreira da Silva's World and Olympic records at the 1952 Summer Olympics and 1955 Pan American Games, and three red stars representing the two Intercontinental Cups and FIFA Club World Cup victories.
Traditional home and away kits colors
São Paulo's home kit consists of a white shirt with two horizontal stripes at chest level (upper red, lower black), white shorts, and white socks. The away kit features red, white and black vertical stripes with black shorts and black socks. These colors were inherited from the founding clubs - red and white from Club Athletico Paulistano and black and white from Associação Atlética das Palmeiras. The colors also represent the three main races in Brazil: Native Brazilians (red), White Brazilians (white), and Afro-Brazilians (black).
Traditional club anthem
The club's anthem was composed by Porphyrio da Paz, who served as the football director during the club's early years. Porphyrio da Paz also played a crucial role in obtaining permission for São Paulo's first official match against Portuguesa Santista on January 25, 1936, which was nearly cancelled due to the city's anniversary celebrations.
Traditional Rivals
São Paulo vs. Corinthians
The fixture between São Paulo and Corinthians is known as "Majestoso," a name coined by Thomas Mazzoni. The first Majestoso occurred on May 25, 1930. The historical record shows 110 wins for São Paulo, 131 wins for Corinthians, and 114 draws, making it one of the most competitive rivalries in Brazilian football.
São Paulo vs. Palmeiras
This rivalry is nicknamed "Choque Rei" and represents one of the most balanced fixtures in Brazilian football. The historical record shows 114 wins by São Paulo, 113 wins by Palmeiras, and 110 draws. Recent encounters have been particularly significant, with both clubs meeting in important finals including the 2021 Campeonato Paulista and 2024 Supercopa do Brasil.
São Paulo vs. Santos
Known as "San-São," this fixture was first played in 1936. São Paulo holds a slight advantage in the historical record with 137 wins compared to Santos' 106 victories, with 75 draws. This rivalry was particularly intense during Pelé's era at Santos, when the two clubs competed for state and national supremacy.
Club Traditions and Behind the Scenes
Sponsors
São Paulo has had various kit suppliers throughout its history, including Reebok (until 2013), Brazilian brand Penalty (2013-2015), Under Armour (2015-2018), and currently Adidas (since 2018). The Penalty contract was worth R$35 million per year and was the second-most lucrative kit deal in Brazil at the time. In 2023, Mondelez acquired naming rights to the stadium for a record R$25 million annually on a 5-year contract.
Nicknames
São Paulo is commonly known as "Tricolor" due to its three-colored kit (red, white, and black). The club earned the nickname "Champions of All" after winning the 2024 Supercopa do Brasil, becoming the first Brazilian club to win all available trophies. During the 1940s, the team was known as "The Steam Roller" due to their dominant performances.
Ownership and finances
São Paulo ranked fifth in Brazil with a market value of R$2.214 billion in 2023. Research by GloboEsporte.com showed that between 2003 and 2011, São Paulo was the second Brazilian club to earn more money than losses in the transfer market, receiving R$287 million. The club has maintained financial stability while competing at the highest levels.
Traditions and culture
São Paulo supporters are called são-paulinos and are nicknamed "Torcida que conduz" (Supporters who lead) due to their importance in maintaining the club's relevance in South American football. The club has over 22 million supporters, representing approximately 9.9% of Brazil's population, making it the third best-supported club in the country. All five FIFA World Cups won by Brazil contained at least one São Paulo player.
Stadium
The Estádio Cícero Pompeu de Toledo, commonly known as Estádio do Morumbi or MorumBIS, has a capacity of 67,052 seats and is the biggest private-owned stadium in Brazil. Designed by architect Vilanova Artigas, it's considered a monument in Brazilian modernism. Construction began in 1952, and the first game was played on October 2, 1960, when São Paulo defeated Sporting Club from Portugal 1-0. The stadium was inaugurated with a maximum capacity of 120,000 but was later reduced for safety reasons. In 2023, Live Nation Entertainment signed a R$60 million 5-year deal for concerts and events, the most expensive of its kind. The club also owns two training centers: the Barra Funda Training Center for the professional team and the Cotia Training Center for youth teams.